Comparison

BarbellBeat vs Show Up

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

BarbellBeat

Features
Read full description

There's one question I kept coming back to during my workouts. Why does everyone rest for the same amount of time? Some people recover fully in 60 seconds. For others, their heart rate is still elevated after 90. Yet most training still runs on a fixed timer. So I made this. BarbellBeat uses your Apple Watch to track how your heart rate recovers between sets, and tells you when you're ready for the next one. - Real-time heart rate recovery tracking - Haptic alert the moment you've recovered - Every workout and rest interval saved automatically Train by recovery, not by the timer.

About

Show Up

This AI-powered fitness app provides personalized workout plans, nutrition guidance, and daily check-ins. It adapts to your schedule and recovery, offering real-time adjustments and motivation through chat.

Highlights
  • AI Coach chat for motivation and adjustments
  • Smart, adaptive workout plans
  • Daily readiness check-ins
  • Personalized nutrition and meal planning
  • Progress tracking and PR logging
  • Daily accountability score
Features
Read full description

Show Up plans your training, logs every set and coaches you on what you actually lift. Everything you log is yours, and it stays free. FREE, FOR GOOD • Log every workout, on the plan we build you or your own • Every lift, PR and workout you log, and your whole story • Your streak, with a freeze every month and a sick pause • Your Show Up Score and what's behind it • Log sets from your lock screen, even with no signal • Video demos for 312 exercises and guides for all 630 • Food logging with a barcode scanner, 140+ recipes and a meal planner • Crews, cheers and challenges with your friends • Import your history from other apps, and export yours any time • No ads SEE YOUR PLAN FIRST Answer 8 quick questions and see your plan before you make an account. After your first workout, Pro is yours for 14 days. No card, nothing to cancel. PRO, IF YOU WANT MORE • A coach without the daily limit (free accounts get 3 chats a day) • Where you're heading: your next PR on every lift, your goal-weight date, and where you'll be in 3, 6 and 12 months • Why a lift stalled, and the one change to make • Your coach's read on every week and month • Each lift's chart over time, and Replay Stop Pro any time and keep everything you logged. Questions? email: support@showup.run The best workout is the one you actually do. Show Up. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

BarbellBeat4 screens
Show Up4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: BarbellBeat at none against Show Up's 2. BarbellBeat also leads on ads (none vs shown). Show Up's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.6). On price, update cadence and device support there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Show Up sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per month. BarbellBeat asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Both ship on a similar rhythm, roughly every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 22, 2026 and October 28, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
BarbellBeat versus Show Up: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterBarbellBeatShow Up
PriceFreeFree
Rating—5.0 (3 ratings) — better
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings—3 — better
Update frequencyEvery 5 daysEvery 5 days
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS17.615.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB95 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTayon KimALEXANDER REED RODGERS

In-app purchases

None

BarbellBeat

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Show Up

Subscriptions2
  • Show Up Pro Monthly$9.991 Month
  • Show Up Pro Annual7 Days trial$79.991 Year

Questions

Is BarbellBeat free?
BarbellBeat is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Show Up free?
Show Up is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do BarbellBeat or Show Up have ads?
Show Up shows ads; BarbellBeat does not.
Which is updated more often, BarbellBeat or Show Up?
BarbellBeat ships an update every 5 days, and Show Up every 5 days. Most recently, BarbellBeat was updated on October 22, 2026 and Show Up on October 28, 2026.

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